A VALUABLE sculpture which stood in Bolton town centre for 20 years is to move amid fears it will become the target of vandals.

Dame Barbara Hepworth's distinct Two Forms (Divided Circle) is moving back to Bolton after spending three years on display in the artist's home town of Wakefield, Yorkshire.

But instead of returning to its former home next to Bolton Crown Court, councillors have decided that the two-metre tall piece - worth at least £500,000 - will go on display on the University of Bolton's Deane Campus.

A council report says the original site was abandoned because of "security concerns".

Barbara Hepworth is considered to rank alongside Henry Moor as one of the greatest British sculptors.

She created the piece in 1969 and it was bought a year later for Bolton Council by the Victoria and Albert Museum and the JB Gass Charitable Trust, established by local architects Bradshaw, Gass and Hope.

It was sited outside the Crown Court building on its completion in 1984 after spending 14 years in Bolton Museum.

The sculpture was moved to an exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hepworth's birth in April, 2004.

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: "We're delighted to be welcoming back the sculpture after its visit to Yorkshire.

"Barbara Hepworth's Two Forms (Divided Circle) is an outstanding piece and placing it at the university will give more people the chance to see it.

"We can't yet be specific about when it will be positioned in its new home as we have to carry out a site survey, look at security aspects and decide what kind of stand to use to display it to its best but hopefully everything will be completed in the next few months."

Staff at the university are hoping that the sculpture will be situated in pride of place in front of the Deane Campus design studio.

Dr Peter Marsh, the university's pro-vice chancellor, said: "We're very pleased and indeed proud to be receiving a work of art by one of Britain's most distinguished sculptors.

"We think it will be inspirational to students and an iconic landmark for the university."